Translation and Meaning of: 食べる - taberu

If you are learning Japanese, you have certainly come across the verb 食べる (たべる, taberu). This simple word, which means "to eat," is essential in everyday vocabulary and appears in various situations, from casual conversations to animes and mangas. In this article, we will explore its meaning, origin, and practical usage, as well as interesting facts that make learning more engaging. Whether for making flashcards in Anki or understanding cultural nuances, here you will find valuable information about 食べる.

Meaning and use of 食べる in everyday life

食べる is a Japanese verb that means "to eat" and belongs to the group of ichidan verbs (also called ru verbs). Its conjugation is relatively simple, which makes it one of the first verbs students learn. Unlike in English, where "eat" can be used in more abstract contexts, 食べる generally refers to the physical action of ingesting food.

In Japan, the act of eating is surrounded by etiquette and specific expressions. Before a meal, it is common to say いただきます (itadakimasu), and afterwards, ごちそうさまでした (gochisousama deshita). Using 食べる (taberu) correctly includes understanding these rituals. For example, saying "ご飯を食べる" (gohan o taberu) sounds natural, but in formal situations, other terms like 召し上がる (meshiagaru) may be more appropriate.

Origin and writing of the kanji 食

The kanji 食, present in 食べる, has an interesting history. Originally, it represented a container with food and evolved to symbolize "to eat" or "food." It is composed of the radical 飠 (a variant of 食) and appears in other related words, such as 食事 (shokuji, "meal") and 食堂 (shokudou, "cafeteria").

One tip for memorizing this kanji is to observe its structure: the top part resembles a roof (like a place where one eats), and the bottom suggests a plate. Sources like Kanjipedia confirm this visual association, helping students to remember the character. Furthermore, 食 can also be read as "shoku" in compounds, such as in 和食 (washoku, "Japanese food").

Cultural curiosities and common mistakes

In Japan, the way food is discussed reflects cultural values. For example, in anime like "Shokugeki no Soma," 食べる is frequently used in scenes of culinary competitions, highlighting the importance of gastronomy in the narrative. Moreover, in informal situations, Japanese people may shorten it to たべる (taberu) or even たべちゃう (tabechau), which is a colloquial form.

A common mistake among students is confusing 食べる with 飲む (nomu, "to drink"). Although both involve consumption, they are used for solids and liquids, respectively. Another trap is trying to translate expressions like "eat a meal" literally—Japanese prefers 食事をする (shokuji o suru) in these cases. Be careful not to sound odd!

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 飲む (nomu) - to drink
• 食する (shokushuru) - Eat
• 食す (shokusu) - Eat (more formal form)
• 喰う (kuu) - Eat (more colloquial or informal use, may have a connotation of devouring)
• 食らう (kurau) - Eat (informal use, often suggests devouring or consuming in a ravenous manner)
• 啜る (suru) - Sipping (usually used for drinks or eating soups)
• 食べる (taberu) - Eat (standard and common form)
• 食み込む (hamikomu) - Swallow (usually suggesting complete absorption)
• 食らいつく (kuraizuku) - Attack or devour (suggests aggressiveness when eating)
• 食い込む (kuikomu) - Enter when eating (can suggest consuming until the end or penetrating deeply)
• 食い入る (kuiiru) - Dive or immerse while eating (usually used figuratively)
• 食いつく (kuituku) - Grab on while eating (suggests intensity)
• 食いつき (kuituki) - Adherence to eating (suggests intensity or attachment to food)
• 食い込める (kuikomeru) - Able to enter while eating (suggests potential for intense consumption)
• 食い込んでくる (kuikonde kuru) - To feel absorbed while eating (a sense of something becoming increasingly engulfed)
• 食い込んでいく (kuikonde iku) - Continue to eat (suggests a continuous process)
• 食い込んでくれる (kuikonde kureru) - Please enter to eat (friendly or polite use)
• 食い込んでくれた (kuikonde kureta) - Please enter while eating (past, friendly gesture)
• 食い込んでいた (kuikonde ita) - I was entering while eating.
• 食い込んでいる (kuikonde iru) - Is entering while eating (present continuous)
• 食い込んでいたら (kuikonde itara) - If you were entering while eating (conditional)

食べる

Romaji: taberu
Kana: たべる
Type: Noun
L: jlpt-n5

Translation / Meaning: eat

Meaning in English: to eat

Definition: Ingest something through the mouth or throat.

Example Sentences - (食べる) taberu

See below some example sentences:

ランチに何を食べたいですか？

Ranchi ni nani o tabetai desu ka?

What do you want to eat for lunch?

What do you want to eat for lunch?

• ランチ (ranchi) - lunch in Japanese
• に (ni) - particle that indicates the target or destination of an action
• 何 (nani) - what
• を (wo) - particle that indicates the direct object of an action
• 食べたい (tabetai) - want to eat
• ですか？(desu ka?) - a polite way to ask a question in Japanese

デザートは私の一番好きな食べ物です。

Dēzāto wa watashi no ichiban suki na tabemono desu

Dessert is my favorite food.

Dessert is my favorite food.

• デザート - デザート (dezāto)
• は - particle in Japanese that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "dessert."
• 私の - possessive pronoun in Japanese that means "my/mine".
• 一番 - expression in Japanese that means "the most," in this case, "my favorite dessert."
• 好きな - adjective in Japanese that means "favorite".
• 食べ物 - word in Japanese that means "food".
• です - verb in Japanese that means "to be/being", used to indicate the affirmation of the sentence.

お昼ごはんを食べましょう。

Ohiru gohan wo tabemashou

Let's eat lunch.

Let's have lunch.

• お昼ごはん - lunch
• を - direct object particle
• 食べましょう - Let's eat

この食べ物は不味いです。

Kono tabemono wa mazui desu

This food is bad.

This food is nasty.

• この - demonstrative pronoun that means "this" or "this here"
• 食べ物 - noun that means "food" or "nourishment"
• は - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence, in this case "this food"
• 不味い - adjective that means "bad" or "unpleasant" in relation to the taste of food
• です - verb "to be" in the polite and polite form

ドライブインでハンバーガーを食べたいです。

Quero comer um hambúrguer no drive

I want to eat a hamburger on the drive.

• ドライブイン (Drive-in) - a type of restaurant where customers can order without leaving their car
• で (de) - a particle that indicates the place where something happens
• ハンバーガー (hamburguer) - a ground beef sandwich, usually served with bread, lettuce, tomato and other accompaniments
• を (wo) - a particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence
• 食べたい (tabetai) - a verb meaning "to want to eat"
• です (desu) - a particle indicating the formality of the sentence

丸ごと食べたい。

Marugoto tabetai

I want to eat everything.

I want to eat the whole.

• 丸ごと - means "whole" or "complete".
• 食べたい - means "I want to eat".

御飯を食べましょう。

Gohan wo tabemashou

Let's eat rice.

• 御飯 - rice
• を - direct object particle
• 食べましょう - Let's eat

新鮮な魚を食べたいです。

Shinsen na sakana o tabetai desu

I want to eat fresh fish.

• 新鮮な (shinsen na) - fresco
• 魚 (sakana) - fish
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 食べたい (tabetai) - want to eat
• です (desu) - Sentence-ending particle

昼はお弁当を食べます。

Hiru wa obento wo tabemasu

I like my lunch at a lunch box during the day.

I lunch during the day.

• 昼 (hiru) - noon
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• お弁当 (obentou) - packed lunch
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 食べます (tabemasu) - eat

朝ご飯に粥を食べました。

Asa gohan ni kayu wo tabemashita

I ate porridge for breakfast.

• 朝ご飯 - breakfast
• に - particle that indicates the target or objective of the action
• 粥 - rice porridge
• を - Particle indicating the direct object of the action.
• 食べました - ate (past tense of the verb 食べる - taberu)